Yesterday was my 20 year high school reunion. It was amazing. Yes it was at a beautifully-decorated winery. We had great wine and an amazing spread of food. We had a DJ spinning tunes from the ’90s and the Pacquiao fight was projected onto the venue’s dome. But it was phenomenal because more than a whopping 50% of our class attended. Friends flew in from Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and NYC. I loved seeing everyone and catching up.
I went to St. Joseph Notre Dame, a small, private Catholic high school in the Bay Area. There were approximately 100 people in my graduating class. If I had to re-live any of my educational years (high school, college, or grad school), hands-down, I would pick high school. From 1989-1993, I spent every day with the most amazing classmates and teachers.
When I hear how much people in general disliked their high school experience, I wonder what was the dynamic at my particular high school that created an environment where everyone got along for the most part and had such fond memories. I attribute it to the following:
a) A small intimate environment. Because there were only 100 people per class, you weren’t going to get lost in the crowd. The teachers and administration kept the school in disciplined check.
b) Diversity. This stems from the geographical nature of the school and its proximity to Oakland. Whereas diversity, I believe, is atypical for most private schools, I seriously went to the United Nations of high schools. When you go to class with people coming from so many different cultural backgrounds, you just learn to get along and coexist.
c) Catholicism. Being Catholic wasn’t a requirement, but deliberately choosing to send your child to a school founded on Catholic principles says something about what our parents valued. Our school wasn’t cheap and especially for most of our middle-class parents, it was a major sacrifice to pay four years of tuition for all of their children. My parents never went out to eat. They packed their lunch every day. Money was tight. And I think a lot of us genuinely understood how much of the family budget went into covering the tuition.
So last night while we were celebrating, I said a cheers to my parents. Because of them, I had the most amazing high school experience and at every reunion, I get to rekindle those memories.
Some of these pictures I can’t take credit for. Hopefully the photographers don’t mind! #sjnd1993
The first pic is of our classmate Sal Martinez who died due to a random drive-by shooting in Oakland.
So glad you got to attend your 20th high school reunion and mine is coming up in 2 years time, but seriously didn’t have nearly as wonderful an experience as you described. Sounded quite perfect your high school and a bit jealous, but definitely happy you had a wonderful high school and memories to boot!! 🙂
my cousin said about 80 people showed up to her reunion, out of a class of 900, but that it was still fun. 2 years will come up soon and can’t wait to hear about yours, janine!
It looks like such a fun night! 🙂 My 20th is coming up next year, but I am not sure I will be able to join in the fun…I did the 10th reunion, though, and it was great!-Ashley
ashley, you must join in on the 20 year geezer fun, especially if it is local!
My graduating class was 330 people or something like that, so it wasn’t as nice and intimate. Not for me, anyway. I did love high school, though.
And I missed my ten year reunion a few years back because I was pregnant and it was four hours away from where I live now, and I had heard that my old arch-nemesis was going to be there. I didn’t want to see her.
The funny part? In the last few years, we’ve become good friends! Who knew?!
tamara, that is so funny about your arch nemesis. i have a similar story. there was someone i thought who hated me in high school, but we ended up becoming good friends as well. crazy world! we just have to let all that negativity pass!
Very nice.Glad you had a great time.
My class has never had a reunion. Last year would have been our 25th-but nobody really cared. I stay in touch with those I want to. It is strange that nobody really wants to organize one. Oh well.
patrick, you should organize your 30 year reunion! start with your close crew of friends and if others come, then fine, but otherwise it’ll just be a good time with you and all your good friends.
What a wonderful event! To have a turnout of more that 50% is pretty amazing for a 20 year reunion! That’s a great tribute to the school and to your classmates.
thanks mo, i think i got jealous of seeing all the great fun you’ve had with your notre dame crew that i had to post something myself!
That’s awesome that you had such a fulfilling high school experience and that so many people showed up for 20 years. That’s a long time ago! No need to remind me of that as mine is coming up next year. Oh my goodness!! Anyways. I am on the fence if I even want to go. I enjoyed high school though towards the end I was ready to get out. My thing is that I didn’t have any truly fulfilling or lasting relationships. It’s in my town so I’ll probably go.
cece, you must go to your reunion, especially since it’s local. if anything, you gotta show everyone how well you’ve aged!
My high school class had almost 300 people, but I had a surprisingly good time at my 20 year reunion. It was fun catching up with everyone, but my poor husband made me promise not to make him go to my 25th! Glad you had a great time, Catherine.
dana, what’s funny is that a bunch of partners and spouses came to the reunion. the following day, my close friends planned a brunch and none of the partners came. we all laughed as each classmate came through the restaurant door without their partner. the partners clearly had had enough and didn’t want to hang out with us anymore!
Looks like a great time! We moved when I was in high school, so I never really felt as connected as the kids who had lived there their whole lives. I still keep in touch with a few, but I’ve never been back to a reunion.
michelle, i was reading a news clip on the obamas and their plan post-white house. their eldest will be in college, but the youngest will still be in high school. so they said she definitely gets a big say in whether or not they will stay in DC or move back to chicago. especially at that age, i did not deal well with change so i’m glad my dad became a reservist in the military so that we wouldn’t have to move around.
So awesome that you had a great time!!! My 10 year was a couple years ago, but, it was too close to my wedding to plan to go & the wedding so I decided not to go, besides, my two best friends from school I still talk to & everything, so, I didn’t really feel like I was missing a ton, but, I am so glad you went & it looks like you had a WONDERFUL time! XO. ~A~
amber, you will have to make it to your 15 or 20 year reunion!
Your reunion looks great! mine was kind of so so. I’m hoping my next one is better! I wish it would be hosted at a winery!
britt, you’ll have to take charge and plan the next one at a winery!
So much fun Catherine! I’m glad you got to attend. Our 10 year reunion was not as well attended as we had liked. I’m hoping for a better turnout for 20 year!
joi, we have reunions every 5 years, so even 15 years and we’ll do one again at 25. it’s funny, but sometimes those are just as well attended or even more so because they’re so casual. at the 15 year, we all met at a local bar and the place was packed.
So very awesome and it sounds like you had a great time! How incredibly wonderful that you have so many fond memories of your HS years. Though I went to a bigger, public school I had a very similar experience which I attribute to the diversity of the students.
I’m so very sorry to hear about your classmate who passed away so early from a drive-by 🙁
I didn’t attend mine, but I do keep in touch with many of the friends I made back when.
oh charlotte, that’s so great to hear that you went to a diverse high school. i just love that. it really made the experience special…all the different cultures.
That truly is such a blessing that you enjoyed your high school experience–I know that’s a fairly rare thing! I feel like as people are moving around more, school reunions are becoming less well-attended in the newer generations…my husband’s 10 year high school reunion recently passed, but we live in MI and he went to high school in California! However, my Grandma went to her 50th high school reunion a few years ago and most of her class has stayed in the same town where they grew up!
that is so cute about your grandma’s reunion. i hope my class is the same way when we celebrate our golden years!
What a blessing, absolutely. Lynne and I are headed to our 25th next year, and we can’t help but look at the photos of our classmates on Facebook and wonder where the years (and the hair and the 18-year-old bodies) have gone. And I speak for all of us! Reunions are an opportunity to look back, but to also rejoice that so much of the weird awkward stuff has gone away. It’s just memories now. You guys look great!
you need to write about your 25th reunion on your blog. that’s so exciting. i posted on our facebook reunion page about bradley cooper (turns out he’s our same age). i said, “if bradley cooper can take the time to go to his 20 year reunion (i included the link), then all of you can too!”
Aww! I wonder what my 10 year reunion will be like! I LOVED high school, but sometimes when I go back to my parents neighborhood, I try to avoid people I went to school with. Lol idk? it’s just weird. Maybe in 6 years when its time for my reunion, I’ll be more excited to see them.
taylor, you will get a kick out of your reunion. it’s always good to see old friends and catch up.